Apricot chicken made with boneless chicken thighs, apricot preserves, and common pantry ingredients. No unusual soup mixes or bottled dressings — just soy sauce, apricot jam, and garlic. The chicken is dusted in cornstarch, dipped in egg, then shallow-fried to form a crisp, satisfyingly thick crust.
Apricot Chicken Recipe
I adore chicken thigh pieces coated in cornstarch and pan-fried until the coating puffs and crisps. This is an easy, comforting dinner I make often. It rivals takeout because the cornstarch-and-egg technique produces the thick, crunchy crust you usually only see in restaurants or frozen meals.
Apricot Chicken Ingredients
The secret to the crust is simple: toss the chicken pieces in cornstarch, dip them in beaten egg, then pan-fry. The cornstarch crisps up while the egg puffs as it cooks, creating a substantial, gluten-free crust. 
The apricot sauce is just apricot preserves, garlic, and soy sauce — pantry staples that come together into a sweet-savory glaze. I usually keep apricot jam on hand for baking and thumbprint cookies, so this sauce is always easy to pull together.
This recipe calls for only seven main ingredients:
- boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- cornstarch
- egg
- apricot preserves (jam)
- soy sauce
- garlic
- neutral oil for frying
I serve this with wild rice and chopped scallions, though steamed broccoli or another green vegetable works very well as a side.
How to Make Apricot Chicken Thighs
- Gather your ingredients: about 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 large egg, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1/2 cup apricot preserves, and 3 cloves garlic, minced. You’ll also want 1 cup neutral oil for frying (canola or grapeseed) and salt and pepper to taste. Scallions are optional for garnish.
- Trim and cut each chicken thigh into 2-inch pieces (about 5–6 pieces per thigh). Toss the pieces with salt and pepper, then toss them in the cornstarch to coat evenly. Beat the egg with a splash of water; one egg is enough for this amount of chicken.
- Heat the oil in a 10″ skillet over medium-high heat. While the oil warms, whisk together the apricot preserves, soy sauce, and minced garlic in a small bowl to make the sauce.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Dip each cornstarch-coated piece lightly in the beaten egg, then place it in the hot oil. Fry in batches until the coating is lightly golden and crisp, turning once. Transfer the pieces to a foil- or parchment-lined baking sheet; they do not need to be fully cooked through in the pan, only crisped.
- Arrange the fried chicken on the baking sheet and pour the apricot sauce over the pieces. Toss gently to coat, then bake for 14–16 minutes. The sauce will thicken and become sticky, glazing the chicken.
- Remove from the oven, toss once more to distribute the glaze, and serve over rice with chopped scallions if desired.
I like apricot preserves that include small pieces of fruit — they add visual interest and little bursts of sweetness to the finished dish.
Feel free to ask any questions — I’m happy to help you make this at home.
Apricot Jam Chicken Tips
Chicken – Boneless, skinless thighs are convenient and forgiving; they stay juicy and require minimal prep.
Jam vs. Jelly – Use jam, not jelly. Jam contains fruit pieces and has more body, which helps the sauce thicken and cling to the chicken. Jelly is thinner and less textured.
Sides – This pairs well with wild rice, plain white rice, or mixed-grain rice. Noodles also work. For vegetables, broccoli, bok choy, or roasted Brussels sprouts are all good choices.
Apricot Chicken FAQs
Yes. Cut boneless chicken breasts into 2-inch pieces so they cook evenly; the method is the same.
Yes. The quantities scale up easily to serve more people; cook in batches when frying so the pieces crisp properly.
It depends on the recipe. For this dish we use skinless thighs because the cornstarch-and-egg crust creates the texture and flavor we want without the skin.
Crisp the coating in the skillet but don’t worry about finishing the cook there. The oven finishes the chicken gently so it stays moist.
More like this Apricot Jam Chicken Recipe
Honey Garlic Chicken
Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
Instant Pot Chicken Teriyaki Thighs
Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs
Apricot Chicken (with Apricot Jam)
Chicken pieces coated in a cornstarch crust with a tangy sweet apricot sauce.
10 minutes
30 minutes
40 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup neutral oil for frying (canola or grapeseed)
- 1/2 cup apricot jam
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a quarter sheet pan with foil or parchment to prevent sticking.
2. Use kitchen scissors to cut each chicken thigh into 5–6 pieces about 2″ each. Toss with salt and pepper.
3. Place the cornstarch in a bowl and add the chicken pieces, stirring to coat completely.
4. In a separate bowl, beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water.
5. Heat the oil in a 10″ skillet over medium-high heat. Test readiness by dropping a pinch of cornstarch into the oil — it should sizzle immediately.
6. Lightly dip each cornstarch-coated piece into the egg, then fry in batches until lightly golden on both sides. Transfer to the prepared pan; the chicken will finish cooking in the oven.
7. Whisk together the apricot jam, soy sauce, and garlic until smooth.
8. When all the chicken is fried and arranged on the pan, pour the sauce over and toss to coat. Bake 14–16 minutes until the sauce is thick and sticky.
9. Toss again before serving with rice and chopped scallions, if desired.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 865Total Fat: 66gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 57gCholesterol: 185mgSodium: 939mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 0gSugar: 17gProtein: 30g